Motivational Strategies for Teacher Attraction and Retention in Nyeri County, Kenya

The International Journal of Business Management and Technology, Volume 2 Issue 1 January 2018 Research Article

Open Access

Motivational Strategies for Teacher Attraction and Retention in Nyeri County, Kenya Dr. Susan Njeri Wamitu, School of Business and Economics, Department of Business and Entrepreneurship, South Eastern Kenya University.

Abstract Education is the key that unlocks opportunities in every human being’s life as it creates a non-imitable resource. It is universally believed that the only inheritance one can leave for their off springs is education. This throws to the limelight, the main driver behind this crucial resource: the teacher. The background of the study highlights the declining trend in teacher retention and consequently a shrinking teacher workforce particularly in secondary schools. The objectives of the study were: to explain the background of teacher turnover, establish teacher turnover rate in a period of 1-10 years in Nyeri County, identify major push and pull factors in the teaching profession in Nyeri County and recommend strategies that can be used to retain teachers in Nyeri County. Literature reviewed brought to fore certain characteristics associated with recruitment. The study is based on Hertzberg’s two factor theory which distinguishes the hygiene factors as the most crucial in teacher motivation as opposed to motivational factors. The study findings highlight a myriad of pull and push factors impacting teacher turnover chief among them as teachers’ teachers’ pay, with other underlying factors like job dissatisfaction, work environment, reward system, work overloads, resource provision, professional training and development and promotions. The study recommends that teacher motivational sessions be organized, teacher facilitation be effected and rewarding, recognition of teacher effort and formulation of attractive teacher retention policies by the government.

Key words: Motivation, Non-Imitable Resource, Grievances, Strategy, Retention I.

Background

Teachers area very crucial resource in an individual’s life. Svenska Dagbladet (2010) considers teachers as the most important professionals more so in an economy that wants to achieve its vision. The 21st century has witnessed the world suffering a common problem denominator of a shrinking teaching workforce. It is a crisis that is demanding immediate attention in the midst of increased student’s population and especially in Kenya where primary education is compulsory. The formation of counties has come with a variety of challenges, one of them being teacher imbalances in different counties.

Teacher attraction is one thing in many regions but retention becomes a challenge.

According to the U.S. department of education (U.S., 2000), teacher shortage is not caused by insufficiency of qualified individuals but by too many teachers leaving the teaching www.theijbmt.com

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Motivational Strategies for Teacher Attraction and Retention in Nyeri County career. The same observation is made by Boser (2000) through a study carried out based on those students who acquired college degrees in 1992-1993. Approximately one out of five graduates joined the teaching profession in 1994-1995 but had left by 1996-1997.

Across many nations and particularly Africa, teacher shortage is common in almost all levels of learning and more so in primary and secondary schools. (Bland et al, 2004). It is every organization’s preference to retain teachers once recruited but this does not always happen since according to Heller (2004), almost half of the teachers recruited leave their institutions for greener pastures in the first three to five years. Chief among the many reasons that can be attributed to the high turnover is pay and challenges associated with the teaching profession (Coggins & Deffenbaigh, 2013) According to NASBE (National Association of State Boards of Education), (1998) American public schools face teacher shortage, reason being, not because there are no qualified teachers but basically because of teacher distribution. This misdistribution is pronounced in some particular geographical regions and specific specialties like special education, bilingual education and sciences (Darling-Hammond, 2001).

The problem of teacher attrition is not unique to developed countries for it is worse in sub Saharan Africa where the challenge of over enrolment demands for an increase in the number of teachers. In Gambia for example, to meet the number of teachers targeted, it had to double the current number of teachers (VSO, 2007). In the wake of every African country trying to improve economic development, and recognition of the role played by knowledge, school enrolment has intensively multiplied, overworking the teachers and demanding for recruitment of reinforcing teachers. In Lesotho, Education International (2007) found out that 40% of the primary school teachers were unqualified. At the time, Lesotho had about 40,000 unemployed teachers and Zambia had 15,000 unemployed (Education International, 2007) II.

Statement of the Problem

While a teacher is one of the most important assets that a society can have, teacher turnover continues to escalate with minimal interference from policy makers. The numerous teachers strikes have not only caused a deterioration in schools’ performance, but also made unpopular the vocation such that no student want to be associated with a teacher as a mentor, leave alone taking teaching as a preferred profession. This scenario relegates the profession to a pattern of unmotivated workforce which only remains in the career for lack of a better option. The main concern of this study is teacher motivational strategies that can minimize teacher attrition III.

Objectives

The following were the objectives upon which the study was based i) To explain the background of teacher turnover ii) To establish teacher turnover rate in a ten year period in Nyeri County www.theijbmt.com

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Motivational Strategies for Teacher Attraction and Retention in Nyeri County iii) To identify major push and pull factors in the teaching profession in Nyeri County iv)To recommend strategies that can be used to retain teachers in Nyeri County IV.

Literature Review

A lot of literature has been written on recruitment and retention of teachers. Reviewing of that literature is crucial in exposing the scenario on the ground and the expectations thereof. According to the U.S Department of Education (2000), school staff shortage is not caused by insufficient supply of qualified individuals but too many of them leaving the profession (Ingersoll, 1997). A case study was done in the U.S education department and whose findings indicated that one out of five of students who earned college degrees between 1992 to 1993 began teaching between 1994 to 1995 and had quit the profession by 1996 to 19997 (Boser, 2000).

A study by Hare and Heap (2001), adds weight to the same findings that a quarter of all beginning teachers leave the classroom within the first four years especially in teaching fields of special education, Mathematics and science. Ingersoll (2000)observed that the turnover is as high as 50 % in schools located in high poverty areas. The same study indicated that the teachers known to leave fast are intelligent and effective teachers.

Ingersoll (2001) noted that students’ performance varied from one school to another due to many reasons but chief among them were those related to teachers. This gives a confirmation that teachers are very significant to a student’s academic performance.

Current research has appreciated the relationship that exists between teacher retention and students’ performance (Nye, Konstantopoulos & Hedges, 2004).

Darling-Hammond (2000) observed in his study on teacher retention that there was a profound relationship between increased years of service and teachers effectiveness in teaching. This view was confirmed by Croninger, King Rice, Rathbun, & Nishio, (2007), that teachers with more than five years teaching experience are more effective than those with less. It should be noted that for a school to get the appropriate teachers who can be retained in the institution, effective recruitment and retention plan has to be adopted.

There are certain characteristics associated with recruitment that assure teacher attraction, motivation and retention as is advocated for by (Morehart, 2001; Webb& Norton, 2008; Streisand & Toch, 1998; Boyd, Lankford, Loeb & Wyckoff, 2005). The first characteristic is that there recruitment should be a continuous process not pegged on immediate requirement for teachers but rather a proactive venture through giving continuous positive highlights of positive elements of county and schools so as to attract potential teachers. Creating awareness about schools and teaching in exhibitions and other trade fares would stamp recruitment Secondly, a package of recruitment materials indicating county schools and their sites, county philosophies, curriculum features, tuition preparation among others should be developed and which should augmented by scheduling of county and school visits to create a positive image about the school and teaching so as to avert misconception or stereotypical believes held in respect of certain schools. www.theijbmt.com

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Motivational Strategies for Teacher Attraction and Retention in Nyeri County Liaisons should be formed between local colleges and secondary schools to encourage students who join those who join the teaching profession by allowing them to witness the beauty in teaching and treating them well when under attachment or internship. There should also be formation of prospective/future teachers’ clubs in schools to expose potential teachers to first hand teacher experiences V.

Guiding Theory-Hertzberg’s two factor theory

The study is guided by Hertzberg’s two factor theory or motivator-hygiene theory by behavioral scientist, Fredrick Herzberg (1959), which comprises of two sets of factors.

There exists in every organization, job factors that create employee satisfaction and others that cause dissatisfaction. The two sets are: hygiene factors (The term "hygiene" is used to mean that these are maintenance factors) which refer to job factors that are essential for motivating workers at the workplace. They do not lead to satisfaction but there absence leads to dissatisfaction. Examples are pay, company policies, fringe benefits, physical working conditions, paid insurance, interpersonal relations and job security.

The second set of factors is motivational factors which cause employee satisfaction. These are: recognition, sense of personal achievement, personal growth and promotional opportunities, responsibilities, challenging work, recognition for one's achievement, responsibility, involvement in decision making and sense of importance to an organization. Based on the observations made from the pull and push factors impacting on teacher attrition, the theory clearly discloses the main reasons why teachers leave the profession. Primarily, teachers are concerned with the hygiene factors which are their basic concerns and secondly, the motivational factors.

The two factor theory has implications. Managers must guarantee adequacy of both hygiene factors and motivational factors to avoid employee dissatisfaction and also make work interesting, challenging but rewarding to entice workers to contribute unreserved efforts. In other words, ensure they create job enrichment.

Based on findings from a study by Darling-Hammond (2001) reviewed earlier in the study, personal goal achievement ranked as the highest satisfier with 26% while recognition ranked second with 50%. The dissatisfiers were derived from a study conducted in 12 African countries, Kenya being one of them. The major categories were workload and working hours, general classroom conditions, management support, school location, distance to work and living arrangement. From the study, the conclusion made confirms the importance of motivational factors to employees and in this case, teachers.

VI.

Study Design and Methodology

The study used descriptive research design which as is advocated for by Orodho (2005), enables ease of gathering, summarizing, interpreting and presenting data. Purposive (also called judgmental, selective or subjective sampling method) (which is an appropriate nonprobability sampling method),was used to sample five high schools in Nyeri county to form the study respondents. The county director of education in Nyeri County was interviewed. The questionnaires were dropped and picked and an interview scheduled

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Motivational Strategies for Teacher Attraction and Retention in Nyeri County with the county director. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics and the results presented in tables.

VII.

Study population

A total of 30 respondents from 5 schools and 1 county director of education formed the study sample.

VIII. Findings From thestudy findings on the number of teachers that leave the profession, the results obtained were as indicated below Table 1:Number of teachers that join and leave schools/profession in the stated periods Period

County director’s responses

Teachers responses

1 year

JOIN

700

3-5 year s 1600

6-10 year s 5000

LEAVE

349

600

2160

JOIN LEAVE

77 59

112 109

169 134

Abov e 10 years

Total

Cumulati ve %

7300

254 175

3109

43

612 477

78

Average percentage

61

From table 1, it is noted that, during the specified periods, a total 7,300 teachers join the profession and 3,109 leave in Nyeri County according to the statistics in the county education offices. In the secondary school level, 612 teachers cumulatively join while 477 leave during the same period. For the two levels of data collected, 43 % of teachers leave according to the county education offices while 78 % leave in the school level. This serves to explain why there is always an outcry of teacher shortage.

Table 2: Summary of Major Findings

Attracting Factors (Pull Factors)

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Factors Improved remuneration Surety of getting the job upon training Lack of other opportunities Long holidays in April, August and December Interaction with youth which makes the teacher vibrant and youthful To nurture young people/passion Profession has security of tenure Duration and content for training not difficult

Percentage (%) 11 13 15 10 3 6 16 4 20|Page

Motivational Strategies for Teacher Attraction and Retention in Nyeri County

Factors That Cause Teachers To Leave (Push Factors)

Recommended Strategies For Retaining Teachers

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Teaching is a calling Family background Low JAB cutoff points/academic grades It is a noble profession Corruption free No response Frustration from lack of promotion/stagnation No motivation Monotony of work Availability of better paying jobs Difficulty in handling the young Starting own businesses Demanding profession/tight schedules; no social life Policies without consulting teachers Pressure to perform Low remuneration Alternative jobs after further education Insecurity Transfers/Retirement Delayed salaries Poor teacher-government relations Negative attitude of the profession by community intimidation/demotivation from authorities especially T.S.C/parents/undisciplined learners Postings in remote areas Greener pastures Poor infrastructure/facilities/working conditions Change of curriculum Harmonization of remuneration of teacher pay with other employees Better pay Minimal political interference Improve terms and conditions Organize motivational sessions for teachers Avail appropriate teacher facilities Reward effort/promote Government formulates attractive policies for teachers More teachers to reduce workloads to a ratio of 1:35 Reduce pressure of performance Treat teachers with dignity and Fairness in appraisal and promotion

4 2 6 2 2 6 13 10 3 13 1 1 1 3 7 18 1 1 3 1 4 1 1 7 3 4 3 1 10 21 2 4 2 2 12 4 5 2 9 21|Page

Motivational Strategies for Teacher Attraction and Retention in Nyeri County Boosting security understanding In war-torn areas Stop teacher intimidation by T.S.C Positive attitude towards profession Conducive working environment Immediate employment after graduation Decongest public schools classes Effect the 50-60 % to invoke intrinsic motivation Avoid biasness in transfers & employment Allowances for extra work in boarding schools Regular inclusion of emerging/contemporary issues in curriculum Eliminate exam cheating to accord schools their fair grades without standardizing

2 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

IX. Conclusion The findings from the study direct to the following conclusion Background on teacher turnover Teacher turnover rate is a widespread problem all over the world and similarly, Kenya has a problem of teacher imbalance in the counties. Teacher attraction is generally challenged by teacher retention and approximately one out of five graduates leave the profession in the first two to three years of their employment.

Teacher turnover rate in a ten-year period From the findings, 61 percent of the teachers that join the profession leave within the first ten years of employment into the teaching profession in Nyeri County. This leads to the conclusion that motivational factors must be identified that would not just attract but also retain teachers Major pull and push factors Amongst the several factors outlined as impacting on teacher retention, the following were paramount. Pull factors: improved remuneration, lack of other opportunities, improved remuneration, and surety of getting teaching job upon training, long holidays in April, August and September, security of tenure and the low Joint Admissions Board cut off points for one to be admitted for a teaching course.

Push factors identified were: lack of promotion/stagnation, lack of motivation, availability of other paying jobs, low remuneration, and intimidation from authority, parents and undisciplined leaners Recommended strategies for teacher retention The following were recommended as the strategies for retaining teachers: harmonization of remuneration with other employees’ particularly civil servants, better pay, reward and promotion based on effort (merit), treating teachers with dignity and fairness in appraisal and promotion. www.theijbmt.com

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Motivational Strategies for Teacher Attraction and Retention in Nyeri County Recommendations The following is recommended based on the study objectives.

Background on teacher turnover Based on the review of the background of teacher turnover, it is recommended that the policy makers adopt intervening measures to curb teacher attrition.

Teacher turnover rate in a period of 1-10 years The policy makers and teacher management should endeavor to improve on and also augment teacher attraction pull factors as they minimize the push factors Major pull and push factors It is recommended that the government improves teacher pay packages, promote teachers based on merit and immediately reduce teacher intimidation from authorities, parents and undisciplined learners Recommended strategies for teacher retention Emphatic recommendations are made to policy makers, parents and students pointing at salary harmonization, merited promotions and according teachers their deserved dignity.

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